• Lifestyle

    Cold Brew in a Mason Jar

    When I was growing up much of our food came out of Mason jars. I don't do much canning these days, but I've been whipping up a quart of cold brew coffee concentrate in a Mason jar about every other day this summer. It is SO easy and SO yummy and WAY cheaper than a coffee shop.

  • Literary Pursuits

    What I Read in June

    It's always interesting to me to look back and see what I've read recently. I don't usually plan ahead, but pick up books that appeal to me at the moment. This could explain why I often have two (or five) books going at once.

  • Adventures

    Oklahoma Road Trip

    Last week we made another trip to Arkansas to take the last of our stuff. This time we didn't bring a trailer back with us, and with the 4th of July holiday we had an extra day to dawdle a little. For one part of the trip we chose to follow Highway 412 across northern Oklahoma. I was especially interested…

  • Lifestyle

    Game Review: IQ Circuit

    I'm a huge proponent of off-screen activities for road trips. It's hard to create family memories if everyone's focus is on their individual screens. For that reason, I'm always on the lookout for fun travel games and activity books. IQ Circuit is one such game I received for review from Timberdoodle.

  • Literary Pursuits

    12 Books for the 4th of July

    The 4th of July isn't--thank goodness!--a holiday for gifts or passing out candy like so many have evolved into. It's a midsummer day off that, for us, usually involves family, friends, and doing something outdoors. The perfect opportunity to think about and appreciate our freedoms as Americans. With that in mind, I wanted to share a round-up of a dozen…

  • Adventures

    Two-Lane Road Trips

    Highway 2 actually starts in Everett, Washington, near Seattle. Last weekend we were over there for a church convention so I suggested to Lyle that we come back across on Highway 2 so we can count that segment as part of our summer road trip adventure. It was 280 miles and we ended that part in Spokane.

  • Literary Pursuits

    Review: Dusk’s Darkest Shores

    If you’re a fan of Regency romance novels you’ll not want to miss Dusk’s Darkest Shores by Carolyn Miller. I went through a phase a number of years ago where I read Regency romances voraciously. At this stage of my life I enjoy more of a mix of genres but I do find myself picking up a Regency now and…